On the evening of July 3rd, a heavy snowfall hit the Qilian Grassland in Qinghai province, turning the landscape into a blanket of white overnight. By the morning of the 4th, the snow had accumulated to half the height of a wheel.
Internet users posted videos on the morning of the 4th, saying, “Yesterday, the grassland was bathed in sunshine, but today it unexpectedly started to snow, with the snow reaching a height of half a wheel already.”
Many netizens reported that heavy snowfall began on the night of July 3rd and continued until the morning of July 4th. The local temperature was only 7 degrees Celsius, with about 20 centimeters of snowfall. One netizen mentioned, “The heavy snow even collapsed our tent, and the newly born foal froze to death.”
In the videos, the streets, rooftops, and lampposts in the area were covered in a thick layer of snow, making the roads wet and slippery, with the snow yet to completely melt.
Many netizens expressed astonishment at “snow in July,” with some even questioning the authenticity of the footage, suspecting it was recorded during the winter.
According to a report by “Upstream News,” staff from the meteorological bureau in Qilian County, Qinghai, responded by stating that the snowfall had mostly ceased by the morning of the 4th. They explained, “In fact, the probability of snow in our area in July is very low. It’s mainly due to a recent cold air mass passing through.”
The phenomenon of “July snow” sparked hot discussions among netizens, with comments like, “It’s 39 degrees here today, and yet it’s snowing there, unbelievable!” “Extreme weather conditions these years are becoming more frequent, so we should respect nature with awe.”